Because the border line is not suitable for building outposts, they can only build them at the closest possible distance. But even so, it is still a kilometer away from the real border. For this one kilometer, they need to climb a hundred meters up a slope, cross a hundred meters through a canyon, and take the most dangerous road. On one side is an icy plateau, and on the other side is a bottomless abyss.
"What bad luck, on New Year's Day, I broke a tooth."
In another direction, young soldier Yu Yang complained in the wind, rain, and snow, but what he was complaining about was that his teeth were broken by a potato.
"Whose fault is it? I told you to warm it up before eating, but you wouldn't listen."
Wang Fugui got up from the ground, took out several potatoes and bread that had been covered for three hours, and handed them to Yu Yang.
"Eat quickly, and after you finish eating, hold on for a few more hours. When you get back to the outpost, you can eat hot dumplings."
Yu Yang took the bread and potatoes and began to eat them bite by bite. You could hear the crunching sound as he chewed, indicating that they were not completely melted.
"Don't say that, class monitor. Whenever I think of dumplings, I think of my mom. Every year during Chinese New Year, the dumplings my mom makes are so delicious."
"You're from Northeast China, where we eat dumplings for Chinese New Year. But where we're from, we have a huge feast with dozens of family members eating together. It's so lively!"
Wang Fugui's eyes were shining; he seemed to be homesick too.
I remember when I was on duty tonight, my wife's phone call was full of complaints. It wasn't anything else, but she was complaining that she had to suffer on New Year's Eve. Her son wasn't close to her, and over the years, she hadn't been able to take good care of her parents.
"Squad leader, do you think it's really necessary to patrol and guard every day in this freezing weather?"
Yu Yang, sitting near the front, asked.
"This concerns the border of our motherland and is a matter of national importance. Do you think it's necessary?"
Wang Fugui replied, then asked, "You'll be discharged in a few months, aren't you going to reconsider?"
"What are you still thinking about? I'm already feeling like every day is an eternity. I just want to go back to my hometown right now and have a meal of dumplings made by my mom and fish caught by my dad. But you, squad leader, have been on the frontier for almost ten years. What are you thinking?"
Yu Yang asked.
Looking at the scattered dots on the other side of the border, on land that did not belong to the motherland, Wang Fugui recalled the tragic memory from many years ago when he was still a new recruit.
It was in this very place, in the Grand Canyon, that his squad leader sacrificed himself. Faced with the invasion of foreign enemies, he faced hundreds of people alone without fear in order to protect himself and another comrade.
He clearly remembered that when his squad leader breathed his last in his arms, he told him that a soldier's responsibility was to sacrifice his life for his country and family.
Wang Fugui originally intended to serve two years of compulsory military service and then retire, but the incident involving his squad leader had a profound impact on his life. For ten years, he has carried a heavy psychological burden and has continued to protect the beautiful land in place of his squad leader.
The snowy night was long, and the lonely hillside was fraught with danger.
On the way back, they had to cross a section of icy, slippery road. Wang Fugui was very experienced in this area, so this time, he let Yu Yang go first and followed behind to guide him.
After Yu Yang passed by, he moved his feet carefully, but an accident suddenly occurred. He lost his footing and fell into the abyss. His body was never found.
Wang Fugui was forever buried on the snow-capped peaks of the frontier where he sacrificed ten years of his youth. Tonight, on New Year's Eve, the sky is ablaze with fireworks, but he will never see them again.
He will never again eat the steaming dumplings at the outpost.
There are many such people; they are sacred warriors.
What were they doing it for? They said it was all to protect the everyday life behind them.
The border of southern Yunnan.
In an ordinary family home, the table is laden with steaming hot food and filled with laughter.
"Dad, you haven't played with me in so long, can we play a little longer?"
"Stop playing, sweetie, it's time for New Year's Eve dinner. Come on, let's go get the dishes. Can't you see how busy Mommy is?"
"No, aren't there grandpa and grandma too?"
"Your grandparents are getting old, how did you learn to study in school?"
Chen Yunfei patted his six-year-old son's head, a long-lost happy smile appearing on his face.
The scars of varying sizes on his face and arms make it clear at a glance that his profession must be extraordinary.
"Honey, dinner's ready!"
The virtuous daughter-in-law, wearing an apron and with a smile on her face, called out affectionately.
"Alright! Let's eat, son, Mom and Dad, dinner's ready."
"Okay, I'll turn on the Spring Festival Gala and watch it while I eat."
The old father said.
"Why open that? It gets less and less interesting every year. It's better to just chat."
The elderly mother was arguing with her husband.
The family sat happily and warmly around a table, raising their glasses in a toast. As a narcotics police officer, Chen Yunfei hadn't had such a lively time with his family in a long time.
They ate their meals while glancing at the Spring Festival Gala only occasionally.
"Mom and Dad, your son has been busy working away from home all these years and hasn't been able to fulfill his filial duties. I feel really guilty. I'd like to offer you a toast."
Chen Yunfei raised his glass.
"Silly child, what nonsense are you talking about? We're doing just fine. We understand that your job is different and the most demanding. Eat more."
"Yes, you may not have any special skills in your life, but you did marry a good wife who is capable and good at managing the household. The person you should thank is Rongrong."
The elderly mother picked up some food and looked at her son with heartache.
Chen Yunfei was very touched. He looked at his wife tenderly, and his wife looked at him shyly.
Before he knew it, his wife's hair had turned gray, while he was always out there risking his life. His family worried about him day and night and became quite haggard.
"Honey, thank you!"
He raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp, while his wife took a small sip. This was the first time they had drunk alcohol since they got married, except for their wedding.
"Loving you, I walk alone through dark alleys."
"I love the way you refuse to kneel."
"Loving you has faced despair."
"Refusing to even shed a tear"
"I love your tattered clothes"
"Yet they dared to block fate's gun."
"Loving you is so much like me"
"The gaps are all the same."
"Do you deserve this tattered cloak?"
"War! War! With the humblest of dreams!"
"To the sobs and roars in the darkness"
Who says only those who stand in the light are heroes?
During the Spring Festival Gala, a sudden song made Chen Yunfei turn his head sharply.
His wife wasn't attractive either.
"Do you deserve this tattered cloak?"
"War! War! With the humblest of dreams!"
"To the sobs and roars in the darkness"
Who says only those who stand in the light are heroes?
The lyrics, the writing...
As he listened, Chen Yunfei's eyes reddened. The country had ultimately not let them down and had not forgotten them.
"Husband, just like the lyrics say, you are the hero in the darkness, the hero in my heart."
"Yes, son, who says only those standing on the podium are heroes? My son is a great hero in disguise."
The family was filled with joy, the family wept with happiness, and the atmosphere was warm and touching.
"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle bells"
Suddenly, the phone rang, and everyone's expression changed drastically. Chen Yunfei quickly answered the phone, and his expression changed instantly.
"Dad, are you leaving again?"
He hung up the phone, looked at his disappointed son and his worried family, and smiled.
"It's alright. A few drug smugglers have entered the country, but it's not dangerous."
But in his heart, he knew that this mission involved a huge fish that they had been following for three years before finally catching, and it was extremely dangerous.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com